NFL: Colin Kaepernick reportedly set to opt out of 49ers deal, will become free agent

SAN Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who drew global attention for kneeling during pre-game playings of the US national anthem, will opt out of his contract, his agents said.

Kaepernick will become a free agent starting March 9, representatives Jeff Nalley and Sean Kiernan told all 32 NFL clubs, according to NFL television network and website reports.

Kaepernick, 29, was due $16.9 million in salary and bonus payments this year on a deal that was reworked last year and originally meant to keep him with the team through 2020.

Jones said the meeting took place around the Super Bowl and “every scenario was covered as far as I was concerned.”

So far, Jones said he hasn’t met with any teams regarding a trade, which means the market for Romo is still as confusing as it was a few weeks ago. Taking care of this situation will involve tremendous coordination and business savvy, something Jones has been known for at times throughout his executive career. It will involve teams getting an idea of their own roster and the rest of the free-agent market and, most likely, it will involve ensuring that Romo is happy with his intended destination.

As most predicted the moment it became clear that Dak Prescott is the new face of Dallas’ offense, Romo’s future destination would hold the news hostage throughout a breathless offseason.

Based on the trickle of updates coming out so far, those predictions have been right.

“We’re in a situation right now where we need to see some things happen,” Jones said. “We need to read some tea leaves. We don’t need to be overtly doing something. We don’t need to do that for cap room; we don’t need to do that for any reason. We just need to see some direction, and the way we’ll get it is by coming together and mutually working that direction out. So I mean I’m not trying to be vague; all I’m trying to do is say that we don’t have anything to move on at this point.”